Conventionally, window belt molding (sometimes referred to as window belt trim) is removed with any number of tools that release the molding from various types of fastening mechanisms that may vary by car manufacturer. The removal of the molding is necessitated in the event an automobile vehicle is damaged. In order for an automobile body shop to properly warranty their work, the window belt molding must be removed before repainting a vehicle body. This allows the vehicle body to be fully repainted under the removed window belt moldings.
However, removal of the window belt molding is rendered difficult by fastening mechanisms, and if the window belt molding or fastening mechanisms are damaged, they may need to be replaced.
Conventional tools for removing window belt molding are unable to release window belt moldings that utilize certain methods of fastening themselves to the car door frame, such as window belt moldings without clips that hook onto a downward pointing flange in the door frame, hereafter referred to as clip-less window belt moldings. A typical clip-less window belt molding will fasten to a downward pointing flange on the inside of the door frame. The clip-less window belt molding fits between the car window and the car door frame, and has an upward pointing flange that curls towards the car door and mates with the car door frame's downward pointing flange.
It can be challenging to remove clip-less window belt moldings with existing tools because of the shape of the existing tools. Existing tools have squared heads that are poorly equipped to initiate release of the upward pointing flange on a clip-less window belt molding. Further, upon initial release of the clip-less window belt molding's upward pointing flange, the majority of the clip-less window belt molding's upward pointing flange is still engaged with the car door frame's downward pointing flange and must be released. This poses an additional challenge to removal, because clip-less window belt moldings include design features to prevent the clip-less window belt molding's upward pointing flange from becoming unfastened from the car door frame's downward pointing flange easily. If one small section of the clip-less window belt molding's upward pointing flange becomes unfastened, it would be easy for the entire flexible clip-less window belt molding to “unzip” itself from the car door frame's downward pointing flange, i.e., the released portion of the clip-less window belt molding would easily pull the rest of the clip-less window belt molding out from under the car door frame's downward pointing flange with minimal upward force.
To prevent this accidental “unzipping”, manufacturers incorporate design features into the fastening system, e.g., periodic recessions in the car door frame's downward pointing flange. These recessions act as a “rip-stop”, arresting the unfastening of the clip-less window belt molding's upward pointing flange. This design feature renders releasing of the entire clip-less window belt molding without additional tools and without damaging the clip-less window belt molding very difficult.
Accordingly, needs exist for more efficient and effective removal of window belt molding.